Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/369

PETITIONS FOR DIVISION. 295 supposing New Meadow Neck to contain one third as many Freemen as the other Neck Did. But upon Consideration & Computation it Contains but a quarter of the freemen & }i of the Poles and Pays But one fifth part of the tax." The general petition was presented to the General Assem- bly at its May session at Newport by Major Samuel Allen, one of the deputies, was received and referred to the June session in Providence, and the inhabitants of Warren were served with a copy. The prayers and arguments of the petitioners represented by Josiah Humphrey, James Brown and Samuel Allen, satisfy the Assembly that there are good and sufficient reasons for the division, notwithstanding the remonstrance of the Eastern village and some of the people on New Meadow Neck, and on the i6th June, 1770, the following record appears among the acts of the General Assembly at Newport : " Whereas, many of the inhabitants of the Town of War- ren preferred a petition and represented unto this Assembly, that they labor under great and inconceivable Difficulties in transacting and negotiating the prudential affairs of said Town, by Reason of a River which runneth through the middle of it, which they are obliged to pass over all Days of Public Meetings and Town Councils ; for which, with other reasons, they prayed this Assembly to divide the said Town into Two distinct Parts, according to the Training List, that is to say ; that the westerly Part of the Town of Warren, which was formerly called Barrington, may be set off and incorporated into a Township, to be distinguished and known by the name of Barrington ; and that the Inhabitants thereof may, from Time to Time, have and enjoy the like Liberties, Benefits, Privileges and Immunities, with the other towns in this Colony, according to our Royal Charter. On consideration whereof It is Voted and Resolved, That the said Petition be, and the same is hereby granted. June 16, 1770.